A U.S. judge sentenced a 24-year-old Chinese citizen after he and his girlfriend swapped 140 counterfeit iPads for real ones at Washington-state Target stores. The pair pocketed $163,000 in gift-card refunds and sometimes used those cards to buy more iPads for the scheme. Authorities expect the man to be deported once he serves his time.
NBA legend pleads in iPhone shoot-out
Meanwhile, retired Seattle SuperSonics star Shawn Kemp accepted a plea deal for second-degree assault. He fired a gun during a 2023 parking-lot clash while tracking thieves who had stolen his iPhone, claiming self-defense. Sentencing is set for August; prosecutors recommend nine months in jail.
iCloud data cracks $263 million crypto ring
In a separate federal case, prosecutors charged 12 suspects with siphoning $263 million in cryptocurrency. Investigators say the crew hacked accounts, phished passwords, and even broke into homes. Crucially, they used a victim’s iCloud credentials to monitor his location, tightening the evidence trail.
Stolen iPhone crosses two oceans
Closer to home, a Charlotte woman traced her pickpocketed iPhone from a local bar to Miami and eventually Shenzhen, China. Police link the theft to a rash of 40 phone snatches across the city’s nightlife district, underscoring how quickly stolen devices vanish overseas.
Gun scare outside Pasadena Apple Store
On the West Coast, a KTLA news crew preparing a live shot confronted an agitated man carrying several rifle cases. He opened the cases, displayed the weapons, and asked passers-by if they wanted a look. Officers arrested him moments later on an outstanding warrant.
AirTag stalking draws first charges under new Ohio law
Further north, Ohio police arrested a man who secretly planted an AirTag on his former girlfriend’s car. The woman received Apple’s safety alerts, confronted him by text, and turned screenshots over to detectives. The December 2024 state law banning such tracking now faces its first courtroom test.
Why it matters
These diverse incidents share a common thread: Apple products often sit at the center of modern crime, whether as targets, tracking tools, or key pieces of digital evidence. Consequently, law-enforcement agencies and lawmakers continue to balance consumer convenience with fresh security risks.
